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VOL. 2 | ISSUE No. 17-18 | 2021
Compiled by
Scientific Information Resource Division
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai
Write to us for feedback E-mail: headsird@barc.gov.in
(For internal circulation only)
19th APRIL- 02nd, MAY, 2021
RRCAT, Tata Motors to develop refrigeration tech for vehicles
18 April, 2021 | by Laveena Francis | TNN
On Saturday, RRCAT and Tata Motors Limited (TML) signed an
incubation agreement to jointly develop Shivay for vehicular
applications.
“This is a significant step towards percolation of department of
atomic energy (DAE) technologies in the country under the ‘Aatma
Nirbhar Bharat’ mission,” RRCAT director Debashis Das told TOI.
He was confident that Shivay will find wider use in cold-chain
transportation through this initiative of TML.
The incubation agreement was signed by Das and vice-president and
head engineering commercial vehicles TML, Aniruddha Kulkarni
during a virtual meeting.
INDORE: Sheetal Vahak Yantra (Shivay) – a new technology of liquid At present the diesel-powered and chlorofluorocarbons based
nitrogenbased refrigerated system developed by Raja Ramanna refrigerated trucks (reefers) are dominantly used in cold chain for
Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT) will now be incubated transportation.
with Tata Motors Limited at incubation centre to transport fruits,
These reefers are relatively expensive and not quite eco-friendly.
vegetables, pharmaceuticals and other similar products.
Moreover, as the source of Shivay will be incubated in three variants — small commercial
refrigeration used in vehicle, intermediate light commercial vehicle and medium and
Shivay is a by-product of heavy commercial vehicle.
oxygen generation plants.
Incubation centre at RRCAT has been set up recently at Indore as
Large excess capacity
part of the initiative by DAE under “Atma Nirbhar Bharat”.
exists in the country for
generation of liquid On the other hand, Kulkarni said, “Incubation for Shivay would
nitrogen. catalyse development of future technologies in vehicular level
refrigeration system and cold chain transportation which will be
deployed across multiple platforms of Tata Motors Commercial
Vehicle.”
Source website links: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/madhya-pradesh-rrcat-tata-motors-to-develop-refrigeration-tech-for-
vehicles/articleshow/82127897.cms?from=mdr
S Korea to invest $38M in illegal drone response tech by 2025
19 April, 2021 | by The Shillong Times
South Korea said on Sunday it will spend 42 billion won ($37.6 The ministry said current response systems against illegal drones
million) by 2025 to develop a response system against illegal drones are ground-based technologies and that the consortium will develop
amid growing security threats from the fast-developing technology. an aerial system by developing patrol drones that can detect illegal
counterparts and neutralise them by either physical means, such as
A consortium of 23 companies and research institutes — which
firing a net, or by hijacking its control system, reports Yonhap news
includes the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, the Korea
agency.
Aerospace Research Institute and aerospace and defence firm LIG
Nex1 Co. — will develop a response system that spots and The ministry said it will work with the Ministry of Trade, Industry
neutralises the illegal unmanned aircraft, according to the Ministry and Energy and the National Police Agency for the project, with 6.6
of Science and ICT. billion won set aside for this year.
The ministry said such drones pose security threats to major public Fears about potential unmanned attacks have lingered for years in
infrastructure and facilities, such as airports and nuclear power South Korea since South Korean military authorities discovered
plants, given recent advances in technologies, such as artificial crashed North Korean drones in border areas, including the front-
intelligence and swarm robotics. line island of Baengnyeong in 2014. (IANS)
Source website links: https://theshillongtimes.com/2021/04/19/s-korea-to-invest-38m-in-illegal-drone-response-tech-by-2025/
Given the supply constraints of battery materials, hydrogen could play a key
role in energy transition
19 April, 2021 | by Anumita Roychowdhury, Snigdha Das, Moushumi Mohanty, Shubham Srivastava
it was used as a fuel in Apollo I that landed on the moon in July
1969. Yet, the availability of cheap fossil fuel meant hydrogen
energy never really picked up. The fact that hydrogen does not occur
naturally as a gas on the Earth — it is always combined with other
elements such as water (H2O) — added to the problem. This is
because an external energy source is required to isolate hydrogen.
At present coal or fossil fuels is used to isolate hydrogen almost
every- where. This is called grey hydrogen and it is as polluting as
fossil fuel. Countries are now waking up to the idea of replacing
fossil fuels with renewable sources to isolate green hydrogen. This
shift is happening because of two reasons. Firstly, there are clear
Illustrations by RitikaBohra
signs that fossil fuels can no longer be used to meet the world’s
Hydrogen is the ultimate green fuel. It is the most abundant element energy needs.
in the universe. It provides three times more energy than fossil fuels
“Given the limited supply of rare metals to make EV batteries,
and releases pure water as the only by product. It is also one of the
hydrogen will soon play an indispensable role in delivering zero
leading options for storing energy from renewables and looks
emission transport,” wrote Michael Zhan and Michael Bunker of
promising to be the lowest-cost option for storing electricity over
KPMG in an article on March 21.Secondly, “natural abundance of
days, weeks or even months. The element is also neither new nor
hydrogen means it has the potential to level competition in the
novel. The first experiments took place way back in the 1800s and
automotive sector, whereas the supply of raw materials for EV hydrogen production to 25GW by 2026.Several countries have also
batteries is controlled by a few large players”. The International published national hydrogen strategies, including Australia, Chile,
Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) suggests the share of hydrogen Germany, EU, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and South Korea.
in the 2050s energy mix should reach to 12 per cent from almost EU in June 2020 laid out plans to install 40 gigawatts of renewable
zero right now. It says 66 per cent of the hydrogen to be used in hydrogen electrolysers and produce as much as 10 million tonnes
2050 needs to be green — produced from water as compared to of renewable hydrogen by 2030.Saudi Arabia is setting up a $5
natural gas. Today, around 120 tonnes of hydrogen are produced billion solar and wind energy plant to produce green hydrogen.
annually and less than one per cent is green hydrogen, says IRENA’s When the plant is completed in the planned megacity of Neom in
World Energy Transitions Outlook report. To meet the 2050 levels, 2025, it will be one of largest producers of green hydrogen in the
manufacturing and deployment of electrolysers, which are used to world.
isolate the element, need to be scaled up at an unprecedented rate
Late to the party
— from the current capacity of 0.3 GW to almost 5,000 GW by
2050.The other challenge is that the current cost of green hydrogen India reiterated its commitment to green hydrogen this February,
production is $5-6/kg, which is almost thrice the cost of grey when the Union finance minister announced the plan to launch the
hydrogen, says Renjith G, research associate at Delhi-based research Hydrogen Energy Mission in her budget speech. It has earmarked Rs
institute TERI. The investments, though, are underway. In December 1,500 crore for the mission and the Indian Renewable Energy
2020, a consortium of seven biggest global green hydrogen project Development Agency though details are awaited. Like the rest of the
developers launched the Green Hydrogen Catapult Initiative to world, the country has been dabbling with grey hydrogen for a while
increase the production of green hydrogen 50-fold in the next six now. Its experience with green hydrogen, though, is limited. The
years. The initiative aims to cut the cost of green hydrogen to less focus so far has been in transportation and power generation
than $2/kg, which is a potential tipping point that will make it sectors, says DMR Panda, general manager, hydrogen and renewable
competitive in multiple sectors including steel and fertiliser, power energy, NTPC, which is part of the team giving shape to green
generation and shipping. The project will ramp up the annual green hydrogen economy in the country. The public sector undertaking is
working on pilot hydrogen buses between Delhi and Jaipur and in two inferior qualities that cannot store highly pressurised hydrogen Leh. It is also planning to set up a 100 MW floating solar plant at its and have safety concerns. “The other two types are entirely made of power plant in Ramagundam, Telangana to produce green hydrogen. composite alloys and have to be imported,” says Panda. The public The country is also exploring the possibility of adding hydrogen to sector undertaking is experimenting with metal hydrides for existing piped natural gas connections to reduce the carbon compressing hydrogen. “All I can say right now is that the hydrides footprint. The challenge, though, would be to scale up the pilot require 10 times less energy to compress hydrogen than any current projects. “There are only a handful of Indian companies that technology,” says Shaswattam. The company is also trying to tap produce electrolysers on a small scale. So, we are currently seawater for producing hydrogen. “We have set up a 0.12 million- importing electrolysers making the cost prohibitive,” says Panda. litres capacity flue gas-based desalination plant at its Simhadri plant Shaswattam, general manager of NTPC Energy Technology Research in Andhra Pradesh. Another desalination plant of the same capacity Alliance, says research is underway to improve the efficiency of is running at NTPC’s Vallur plant in Tamil Nadu, which is based on electrolysers. “Most of the present electrolysers are alkaline. We are solar thermal energy,” says Shaswattam. Though the country is late working with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre to develop solid in the green hydrogen race, it is taking the right steps. “The country oxide steam electrolysers. This is the future and is 25 per cent more should focus on pilot projects that will demonstrate where the efficient than existing electrolysers,” he says. India has usage of hydrogen makes sense in the domestic context,” says technological disadvantages even when it comes to compressing Pawan Mulukutla, director, electric mobility-sustainable cities at and storing hydrogen for automobiles. The element has to be research organisation World Resources Institute-India. This article compressed and stored at high pressures as it is very light and was first published in the 1-15 April, 2021 print edition of Down To escapes easily. There are four types of hydrogen storage cylinders Earth. for automobiles in the market. The country currently manufactures Source website links: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/energy/from-petro-to-electro-why-hydrogen-could-be-the-fuel-of-the-future- 76453
India closer to building world's biggest nuclear plant: EDF
23 April, 2021| by PTI
households. Construction is expected to take 15 years, but the site
should be able to start generating electricity before its completion.
Finalisation of the contract was expected "in the coming months",
an EDF statement said. EDF, which is in exclusive talks with Indian
officials, would not build the power plant itself, but would provide
the nuclear reactors in a deal that includes US partner GE Steam
Power. The state-owned PSU Nuclear controls the national nuclear
energy sector, and the EDF offer was submitted to the country's
nuclear operator NPCIL. Although no financial details have been
released, the contract is estimated to be worth in the tens of billions
of euros (dollars). It faced opposition however from local
inhabitants since the idea was first floated around 20 years ago, and
was delayed after the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan.
The far-right Shiv Sena party, which is powerful in Maharashtra state
French energy group EDF took Friday a key step towards helping to
where Jaitapur is located, campaigned against the plan, though it
build the world's biggest nuclear power plant in India, a project
has become less vocal recently. EDF estimates the project will create
blocked for years by nuclear events and local opposition. The
around 25,000 local jobs during the construction phase, and around
company said it had filed a binding offer to supply engineering
2,700 permanent jobs. Earthquake risks and the potential impact on
studies and equipment to build six, third-generation EPR reactors in
local shing have been cited as key issues. But Xavier Ursat, head of
Jaitapur, western India. Once finished, the facility would provide 10
EDF's nuclear division, told AFP that the company estimates that the
gigawatts (GW) of electricity, roughly enough for 70 million
site's "geological conditions are excellent and fully comparable to traditional ally -- supplies nuclear fuel and has built reactors in the what we nd in a country such as France." India already has several country, for example. At present, there are 22 functioning nuclear agreements for exchange of nuclear technologies and expertise with reactors in India, most of them pressurized heavy water reactors, countries like US, France, Russia and Japan. Russia -- India's providing about three percent of the country's power. Source website links: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/ntpc-announces-contest-for-ideas-on-fly-ash- utilization/articleshow/82212971.cms
Dignitaries Highlight the Need to Firm up Future Technologies to Tackle Upcoming Challenges 24 April, 2021| by India Education Diary Bureau New Delhi: Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, Department of Science of country and to help common men reap the benefits of science, & Technology (DST), stressed that as the future throws challenges at technology and innovation, at the 35th foundation day of INAE.“ greater speed, the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) Some of the major challenges of the future are related to sustainable should play the role of think tank for the development and progress development, climate, energy, role of intelligent machines, internet
of things, industry 4.0 and society 5.0 and man’s future competition construction of nuclear reactors, safe operation of nuclear reactors, with machines for which we have to look for future technologies,” spent fuel reprocessing, production of heavy water and specialty Professor Sharma said at the online celebration of the foundation materials, instrumentation and control of nuclear power plants day which also marked the inauguration of India’s Azadi Ka Amrit among many others. “Indian industries can make products that are Mahotsav by the institution on April 20, 2021. He added that as good as any other country in the world. Indian scientists and engineering is a tool to discover new science and a whole lot of engineers have the capability to do anything”, he said. Dr. G science and technology could be built on knowledge, could be inter- Satheesh Reddy, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and disciplinary and problem-solving is the key for future. “The future Chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is all about conversion of technologies. Leadership in engineering talked about the contribution of DRDO in the journey of self- must acquire a holistic vision. INAE should play the role of think reliance in defence system including their achievements in missiles, tank for the development and progress of the country,” DST fighter aircrafts, tanks and combat vehicles, radars and sonars, Secretary pointed out. Expressing concern at the limited number of electronic warfare systems, torpedoes, mines and decoys, artillery women in engineering and science, he hoped that the upcoming guns, arms and ammunition, cyber systems, LIC handling products, Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (STIP) would encourage space systems, soldier support systems and communication more women in this field as it strongly advocates for diversity, systems. “We have got to develop any kind of technology in India inclusion and equity. “Science has to be democratised, including and we do not need to import in majority areas,” he stressed. Shri S engineering. INAE should think about how to encourage women to Somanath, Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) talked take up engineering,” he emphasised. Several dignitaries highlighted about people-centric and application-driven space technologies that how the technological achievements of their organizations have include human spaceflight, space commerce, space applications, made “Atmanirbhar Bharat” a reality. Shri KN Vyas, Secretary, capacity building, space infrastructure and space transportation. Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) & Chairman, Atomic Energy “Our focus is on development of people-centric inventions and Commission (AEC); highlighted DAE’s work on exploration of atomic application-driven technology for the benefits of common man and minerals, mining and concentration of atomic minerals, design and country,” he pointed out. Dr. Shekhar C Mande, Secretary,
Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR) and Director- science on one side and benefit to the society on other,” said Dr General, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) spoke Mande. Prof. Indranil Manna, President, INAE briefed about the about CSIR’s efforts and invention in the fight against pandemic recent activities being conducted at INAE and the importance of COVID-19. “Adoption of sound S&T policies is the reason we are engineers in the society. INAE was founded on April 20, 1987 to here today. Our primary aim is to generate next-generation human promote excellence in Engineering and technology in the country. resources. We have contributed significantly in social and industrial The Academy is an autonomous institution supported partly innovations for the benefit of society and country. Our S&T is closely through grant-in-aid by DST. connected with Indian industry and our motto is fundamental Source website links: https://indiaeducationdiary.in/dignitaries-highlight-the-need-to-firm-up-future-technologies-to-tackle-upcoming- challenges/
France made final proposal to India to build 6 nuclear reactors in Maharashtra, seven crore houses to be illuminated 24 April, 2021 | by CHANDAN SEN .French energy company EDF said on Friday that it has given a final EDF has submitted its final proposal to build six EPR reactors in proposal to the Atomic Energy Corporation of India (NPCIL) to build Maharashtra. Negotiations between NPCIL and EDF progressed after six nuclear reactors in Jaitapur, Maharashtra. The EDF has said that the two sides signed an ‘industrial forward path’ for the a forum is being set up to discuss the framework agreement. construction of six nuclear power reactors with a total capacity of Describing the development of the project as a major step, French 9900 MW at Jaitapur in Ratnagiri district. Each nuclear reactor will Ambassador Emmanuelle Lenin said that French energy company be of 1650 MW there. French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenin said it
would be the largest nuclear power project in the world. He said, the with the techno-commercial offering, are currently underway. Apart world’s most powerful plant will power 70 million homes, stop from this, discussions are continuing between the two sides on ways emission of 80 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year and to increase localization through manufacturing in India. Jean create thousands of jobs locally. This milestone in the Jaitapur Bernard Levy, President and Chief Executive Officer of EDF Group, nuclear power plant project furthers the vision of President said, “This important milestone has been achieved due to the trust Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. France and built with our Indian partner and the cooperation and continued India together will secure access to safe, reliable, competitive and efforts of the teams of EDF and NPCIL.” India and France are moving sustainable energy. Negotiations on the funding of the project, along fast towards increasing nuclear partnership. Source website links: https://news.newstree.co.in/news/france-made-final-proposal-to-india-to-build-6-nuclear-reactors-in-maharashtra- seven-crore-houses-to-be-illuminated-150257/
Partnership with India to achieve climate, energy goals core pillar of bilateral cooperation: Biden 24 April, 2021 | by PTI Biden made the comments a day after India and the United States announced a "US-India Climate and Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership" to create stronger bilateral cooperation on actions in the current decade to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. New Delhi: US President Joe Biden on Friday said that he is looking chaired by Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, a joint forward to working with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a statement said. Addressing the final session of the virtual climate new partnership to achieve climate and energy goals, making this a summit on Friday, Biden said this is about the opportunity that core pillar of bilateral cooperation. Biden made the comments a day addressing climate change provides. It's an opportunity to create after India and the United States announced a "US-India Climate and millions of good-paying jobs around the world and innovate -- in Clean Energy Agenda 2030 Partnership" to create stronger bilateral innovative sectors -- jobs that bring greater quality of life, greater cooperation on actions in the current decade to meet the goals of dignity to the people performing those jobs in every nation, he said. the Paris Agreement. "I'm looking forward to working with India's "For a line-worker, electricians, utility workers -- laying transmission Prime Minister Modi in a new partnership to achieve our climate and lines, connecting battery storage, and making our electric grid more energy goals, making this a core pillar of our bilateral cooperation," modern. For automotive workers -- building electric cars, trucks, and Biden said in his address to the virtual summit on climate change. buses. Skilled workers installing and charging stations to This includes deploying 450 gigawatts of renewable power to meet accommodate them throughout our countries," he added. America the ambitious 2030 target for climate action and clean energy. The is once again stepping into the leadership role, Biden said. "We will partnership will proceed along two main tracks -- the Strategic Clean be joining and a partner -- for the nations and efforts to decarbonise Energy Partnership, co-chaired by Secretary of Energy Granholm, critical sectors across the board, including industrial sector, where and the Climate Action and Finance Mobilisation Dialogue, co- we'll join with Sweden and India, and in the Leadership Group for
Industry Transition; the power sector, where we'll work alongside of yesterday for the world to collaborate and advanced carbon dioxide the United Kingdom to spread progress and speed it up toward a removal. And the United States looks forward to working with carbon-free power system both here and around the world; and in Russia and other countries in that endeavour. It has a great promise. the agricultural sector, where we'll launch the Agriculture This is a moment for all of us to build better economies for our Innovation Mission for Climate with the United Arab Emirates and children, our grandchildren, and all of us to thrive not just now, but other partners," he said. "I'm very heartened by President Putin's call beyond for the next generations," Biden said. Source website links: https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/renewable/partnership-with-india-to-achieve-climate-energy-goals- core-pillar-of-bilateral-cooperation-biden/82226009
Linear accelerator machine for cancer patients in Ambala soon
20 April, 2021 | by Nitish Sharma
An inside view of the bunker constructed for the linear accelerator machine at the Tertiary Care Cancer Centre at the Civil Hospital n Ambala
Cantonment. Tribune photo
A linear accelerator machine, which will be used to treat cancer has reached India recently, the process for customs clearance is on.
patients, is all set to reach the Tertiary Care Cancer Centre, which is The machine is being brought at a cost of over Rs 18 crore. Dr Vikas
being established on the premises of Civil Hospital, Ambala Gupta, a cancer specialist at the Civil Hospital, Ambala Cantonment,
Cantonment. The machine which has been imported from the UK said, “The linear accelerator machine is used to provideradiotherapy to cancer patients and it will prove beneficial for the is expected to reach Ambala by the end of this month and we are in patents of this region. Currently, patients go to Chandigarh for touch with the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board as it requires the treatment. The machine has reached India and the process for permission of the board on various steps and its commissioning. customs clearance is on. It is a very high-end machine and it will be The accuracy of the machine is very high. Fire NOC for the building the first such machine at a government hospital in Haryana.” Abhay has also been received today.” An official said, “Patients not only Kumar, project manager for the Tertiary Care Cancer Center, said, from Haryana but from UP, Himachal, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand “The building for the cancer centre is ready. A specially designed are expected to reach Ambala for treatment and there will be bunker has been constructed for the linear accelerator machine as requirement for residential facilities too in the coming years as the per the guidelines from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. The patients and their attendants need to stay for several days for thickness of the walls of the bunker is from 1.5 metre to 2.2 metre. radiotherapy treatment. State Home and Health Minister Anil Vij, A CT stimulator machine has been already installed. Dr. Vinay Goel, who had laid the foundation stone of the Tertiary Care Cancer nodal officer for construction of Tertiary Care Cancer Centre, said, Centre in July 2018, said, “All latest facilities are being brought here “There are different modalities to treat cancer, including for the treatment of cancer patients. All efforts are being made to chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. The linear accelerator make the centre functional soon.” machine will provide radiotherapy to cancer patients. The machine Source website links: https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/haryana/linear-accelerator-machine-for-cancer-patients-in-ambala-soon-241795
IGCAR scientists develop 'breakthrough' technology for paint, water and other
industries
29 April, 2021 | by C. Shiva kumar
The technology could be used in identifying the quality of groundwater as well as seawater, thus benefiting water managers and
environmentalists also, said Prabhakar Rao
CHENNAI: Scientists at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic hand when it comes to quality of products especially in paint, water
Research (IGCAR) in Kalpakkam have come out with a and other industries," says Rao. He says the technology could be
'breakthrough' technology which could help the water-based used in identifying the quality of groundwater as well as seawater,
solutions industry in the country to cut down on costs and enhance thus benefiting water managers and environmentalists also. He says
quality by real time monitoring of electrical conductivity of aqueous that the performance of this device has been validated with many
solutions in industrial plants and field applications, said Prabhakar applications in IGCAR and found to be robust even in demanding
Rao, head of the Security, Innovation and Sensor division in IGCAR. environments. This technology was transferred by IGCAR to Serve
Rao told The New Indian Express that this is the first time they have XL Enterprises, Bengaluru on April 29. In an online meeting with the
developed such a technology which is digital in nature. "Earlier, the firm arranged by Incubation Centre-IGCAR, Dr. Arun Kumar
monitoring of electronic conductivity was being done in an analog Bhaduri, Director, IGCAR, handed over the non-exclusive technology
format and later converted into a digital one," he said. He said the license agreement and the technology documents to Vikram Padaki,
pulsating sensor based conductivity meter was developed at the Proprietor of Serve XL Enterprises.
Electronics and Instrumentation Group in IGCAR. Under this
This technology is being developed after the incubation centre-
technology, the water based solution plants or industries could
IGCAR was set up recently by the Department of Atomic Energy to
measure electrical conductivity, which is highly accurate when
meet the “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” mission of the Government of India.
compared to the analog ones and would give the industries an upper
For more information on spin-off technologies from IGCAR availablefor transfer/incubation, the Incubation Centre can be contacted through email at “incubation@igcar.gov.in”. Source website links: https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2021/apr/29/igcar-scientists-develop-breakthrough-technology-for- paint-water-and-other-industries-2296394.html
KSB Limited- The first to develop Indigenous pumps for NPCIL's 700 MW power plant 30 April, 2021 | by United News of India (UNI) MUMBAI, India, April 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- KSB Ltd, a leader in imported components from KSB Germany. NPCIL is poised for major pump manufacturing, delivered the indigenously developed Main growth in installed capacity of NPPs with launch of fleet mode 700 Boiler Feed Water Pump-BFP (RHD-350) & Booster Pump-BP (YNK MWe PHWRs, in addition to existing PHWR plants of 220 MWe, 540 350-620) for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL). It MWe and 700 MWe capacity. The need to develop indigenous pumps marked a milestone for KSB Ltd. in developing the pump for 700 for 700 MWe power plants was always on priority for NPCIL & the MW Indian Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) & adding a development proposal was initiated in year 2015 for the same. new product to its product line which already boast of a range of Commenting on this achievement, Mr. Rajeev Jain, Regional pumps for nuclear application, including Primary Pressurising Executive Officer, KSB West Asia and Managing Director KSB Pump, Shutdown Cooling Pump, Aux. Boiler Feed Pump etc. It has Limited, India said, "KSB's core strength in design, supported with established KSB Ltd. as undisputed leader in nuclear application modern manufacturing capability has made it possible to develop a pumps. On 13th Mar 2021, these pumps moved out from KSB, key product for India's premier power generation organisation Shirwal, a state of art new facility for pump assembly & testing. KSB NPCIL. KSB's strong leadership qualities, decision making, technical Ltd. turned out to be the first company in India to manufacture fully expertise & great team work were witnessed during the various indigenously developed BFP & BP for 700 MW Nuclear Power Plant phases of the development. Riding high on this success of BFP & BP, (NPP). KSB Ltd. has always been a renowned Supplier for critical KSB Ltd is now set to replicate this success in indigenizing the application pumps and has been associated with NPCIL for supply Primary Coolant Pumps (PCP), for the first time for NPCIL, further of pumps for various applications, including indigenous Boiler Feed enhancing its commitment to the nation's 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' water Pumps for 220 MW at Kaiga nuclear power plants. KSB has program.' Acknowledging the significant achievement by M/s. KSB been supplying some more critical Pumps to NPCIL with certain Limited, India, Shri S.K. Sharma, CMD, NPCIL said, "It is a tribute to
the joint efforts of NPCIL and Indian industry towards the developing and ensuring timely deliveries of equipment for the realisation of our cherished goal of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. He added planned nuclear power expansion programme." that Indian Industry has a vital role to play in coming years in Source website links: http://www.uniindia.com/ksb-limited-the-first-to-develop-indigenous-pumps-for-npcil-s-700-mw-power-plant/business- economy/news/2383472.html
Physicists have created a new and extremely rare kind of uranium
16 April, 2021 | by Leah Crane
found in more than 99 per cent of the world’s naturally occurring
uranium, which is known as uranium-238.
Isotopes of an element always have the same number of protons –
in uranium’s case, 92 – but differing numbers of neutrons. Isotopes
are labelled by the total number of protons and neutrons that their
nuclei contain, and the new isotope has the lowest number of those
particles ever at 214, making it uranium-214.
Zhiyuan Zhang at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and his
colleagues produced the new isotope through a time-consuming
process involving blasting samples of tungsten with powerful beams
of argon and calcium until the atoms fused together. They then
picked the uranium-214 atoms out of the sample using a magnetic
device called a separator.
“The production of these atoms is very difficult, because not every
DR MITSUO OHTSUKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY collision can produce what we want,” says Zhang. “About 1018 beam
particles were delivered to collide with the target, but only two
Researchers have produced the lightest version of a uranium atom
nuclei of uranium-214 were produced successfully and separated.”
ever. It has only 122 neutrons compared with the 146 neutronsThe researchers watched those nuclei decay and determined that atom loses two protons and two neutrons, unexpectedly easily
the half-life of uranium-214 – the length of time until half of a given compared with other uranium isotopes. This probably means that
sample of particles has decayed radioactively – is about 0.52 the interactions between protons and neutrons in these atoms are
milliseconds. They performed similar experiments on two more powerful than in others, they say.
previously discovered isotopes, uranium-216 and uranium-218, and
“Our finding might be the first experimental evidence that the
found that their half-lives are about 2.25 milliseconds and 0.65
strong proton-neutron interaction can play an important role in
milliseconds respectively.
alpha decay in [heavy nuclei],” Zhang says.
They also measured how these isotopes decay and found that
Journal reference: Physical Review Letters, DOI:
uranium-214 and uranium-216 undergo alpha decay, in which an
10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.152502
Source website links: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2274847-physicists-have-created-a-new-and-extremely-rare-kind-of-uranium/High Background Radiation Ups Life Expectancy, Cuts Cancer Risk
17 April, 2021 | by zenger.news
The data they crunched came from the United States Environmental
Protection Agency’s radiation dose calculator from all 3,129 U.S.
counties; U.S. cancer statistics; and the Institute for Health Metrics
and Evaluation at the University of Washington Medical Center.
Background radiation is ionizing radiation present in the
environment from natural sources. This is the first large-scale study
taking into account the two major sources of background radiation
— terrestrial radiation and cosmic radiation — covering the U.S.
population.
Across the U.S., background radiation fluctuates between 92 to 227
millirem per year. (A millirem is a measure of the health effect of
low-level ionizing radiation on the human body.
Higher background radiation levels lead to lower levels of lung, Since the 1960s, hundreds of billions of dollars have been spent
pancreatic and colon cancers in both American men and women, as globally to reduce background radiation levels under the 227
well as lower rates of brain and bladder cancers in men, according threshold.
to a new study in Biogerontology by Ben-Gurion University of the
However, BGU Profs. Vadim Fraifeld and Marina Wolfson and Elroei
Negev and Nuclear Research Center Negev scientists.
David of the Nuclear Research Center Negev found lower levels of
In fact, the study found life expectancy increased with exposure to several types of cancers — although no decrease in cervix, breast,
higher natural radiation levels.prostate cancers or leukemia — when background radiation levels “Exposure to a high background radiation displays clear beneficial were on the higher end of the spectrum. health effects in humans,” they concluded. The scientists then speculated that the upper “radiation threshold” (Edited by Fern Siegel and David Martosko) is higher than long assumed and should be reevaluated. Source website links: https://tntribune.com/high-background-radiation-ups-life-expectancy-cuts-cancer-risk/
AEC plans warning system on Fukushima radioactive water release 17 April, 2021 | by Su Szu-yun and Frances Huang Taipei, April 17 (CNA) Taiwan's Atomic Energy Council (AEC) said AEC wrote a report in response to a request from lawmakers on on Saturday that it is planning to set up a warning system to closely assessing the possible impact of Japan's plan. In the report, the AEC monitor the waters around the country in the wake of a Japanese said it plans to work with the Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) to spend plan to release treated radioactive water from the disabled one-and-a-half years to establish the warning system. Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean in two years. The
The AEC said the system is expected to monitor changes in ocean United States has voiced support for Japan's decision, saying that
flow, adding that after Japan unveils more details about its water Japan "appears to have adopted an approach in accordance with
release plan, the warning system will be able to forecast the quantity globally accepted nuclear safety standards."
of tritium, which will be the only radioactive substance remaining
The AEC report showed that the released radioactive wastewater
once the nuclear waste water has been treated.
could bring pollutants into the waters around Taiwan as the
On Tuesday, the Japanese government announced, following a wastewater flows along with the ocean current to Taiwan's waters.
Cabinet meeting, that it had decided to release the treated
However, the AEC said the impact will depend on how the
wastewater into the ocean, but that the actual discharge will not
wastewater will be released, the density and frequency of the
begin for another two years. The wastewater was used to cool
release, the distance between the release devices and the ocean, as
melted fuel rods in three nuclear reactors that were damaged during
well as seasonal factors. In addition to the planned advanced
a major earthquake in 2011 and as such, is contaminated with
warning system, the AEC said the council has teamed up with the
radioactive materials. The announcement sparked an outcry among
Council of Agriculture to lay out a program to monitor tritium levels
neighboring countries such as China and South Korea, which fear
and take fishery samples to analyze fish harvests in the waters
that the radioactive wastewater will damage the marine
around Taiwan.
environment and harm the fishing industry. In Taiwan, the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs said it has lodged a "solemn representation" The AEC said it will exchange information with Japan and conduct
concerning Japan's recent decision, and has conveyed the concerns an assessment to ensure that the tritium levels will be capped based
of different groups in Taiwan to the Japanese side. However, the on global nuclear safety standards.
Source website links: https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202104170018Nuclear Fusion: Building a Star on Earth Is Hard – We Need Better Materials 18 April, 2021 | by Aneeqa Khan, University of Manchester Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the Sun and all other stars. Replicating this process on Earth has the potential to deliver almost During fusion, the nuclei of two atoms are brought close enough limitless electricity with virtually zero carbon emissions and greater together that they fuse together, releasing huge amounts of energy. safety, and without the same level of nuclear waste as fission.
But building what is essentially a mini star on Earth and holding it
together inside a reactor is not an easy task. It requires immense
temperatures and pressures and extremely strong magnetic fields.
Right now we don’t quite have materials capable of withstanding
these extremes. But researchers like me are working to develop
them, and we’ve found some exciting things along the way.
Tokamaks
There are many ways to contain nuclear fusion reactions on Earth,
but the most common uses a doughnut-shaped device called a
tokamak. Inside the tokamak, the fuels for the reaction – isotopes
of hydrogen called deuterium and tritium – are heated until they
become a plasma. A plasma is when the electrons in the atoms have
the Sun. It has to be much hotter because the Sun has a much higher
enough energy to escape the nuclei and start to float around.
density of particles.
Because it’s made up of electrically charged particles, unlike a
normal gas, it can be contained in a magnetic field. This means it Although it’s mostly contained within a magnetic field, the reactor
doesn’t touch the reactor sides – instead, it floats in the middle in a still has to withstand huge temperatures. At Iter, the world’s biggest
doughnut shape. fusion experiment, expected to be built by 2035, the hottest part of
the machine would reach around 1,300℃.
When deuterium and tritium have enough energy they fuse together,
creating helium, neutrons and releasing energy. The plasma has to While the plasma will mostly be contained in a magnetic field, there
reach temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius for large are times when the plasma might collide with the walls of the
amounts of fusion to happen – ten times hotter than the center of reactor. This can result in erosion, fuel being implanted in the walls
and modifications to the material properties.On top of the extreme temperatures, we also have to consider the
by-products of the fusion reaction of deuterium and tritium, like
extremely high energy neutrons. Neutrons have no charge so can’t
be contained by the magnetic field. This means they hit against the
walls of the reactor, causing damage.
The breakthroughs
All these incredibly complex challenges have contributed to huge
advances in materials over the years. One of the most notable has
been high temperature superconducting magnets, which are being
used by various different fusion projects. These behave as
superconductors at temperatures below the boiling point of liquid
nitrogen. While this sounds cold, it’s high compared to the much
colder temperatures other superconductors need.
In fusion, these magnets are only meters away from the high
composition to traditional steels so the levels of activation from
temperatures inside the tokamak, creating an enormously large
neutron damage is reduced, and tungsten.
temperature gradient. These magnets have the potential to generate
much stronger magnetic fields than conventional superconductors, One of the coolest things in science is something initially seen as a
which can dramatically reduce the size of a fusion reactor and may potential issue can turn into something positive. Fusion is no
speed up the development of commercial fusion. exception to this, and one very niche but noteworthy example is the
case of tungsten fuzz. Fuzz is a nanostructure that forms on
We do have some materials designed to cope with the various
tungsten when exposed to helium plasma during fusion
challenges we throw at them in a fusion reactor. The front-runners
experiments. Initially considered a potential issue due to fears of
at the moment are reduced activation steels, which have an alterederosion, there’s now research into non fusion applications, including models to predict material performance. This can be combined with
solar water splitting – breaking it down into hydrogen and oxygen. advances in machine learning, to identify the key experiments we
need to focus on and identify the best materials for the job in future
However, no material is perfect, and there are several remaining
reactors.
issues. These include the manufacture of reduced activation
materials at a large scale and the intrinsic brittleness of tungsten, The manufacturing of new materials has typically been in small
which makes it a challenge to work with. We need to improve and batches, focusing only on producing enough materials for
refine on the existing materials we have. experiments. Going forward, more companies will continue to work
on fusion and there will be more programs working on experimental
The challenges
reactors or prototypes.
Despite the huge advances in the field of materials for fusion,
Because of this, we are getting to the stage where we need to think
there’s still a lot of work that needs to be done. The main issue is
more about industrialization and development of supply chains. As
we rely on several proxy experiments to recreate potential reactor
we edge closer to prototype reactors and hopefully power plants in
conditions, and have to try and stitch this data together, often using
the future, developing robust large scale supply chains will be a
very small samples. Detailed modeling work helps to extrapolate
huge challenge.
predictions of material performance. It would be much better if we
could test our materials in real situations. Written by Aneeqa Khan, Research Fellow in Fusion, University of
Manchester. Originally published on The Conversation.The
The pandemic has had a major impact on materials research
Conversation
because it’s been more difficult to carry out real life experiments.
It’s really important that we continue to develop and use advanced
Source website links: https://scitechdaily.com/nuclear-fusion-building-a-star-on-earth-is-hard-we-need-better-materials/UK's NDA launches new nuclear transport division
19 April, 2021 | by World Nuclear News
A new specialist nuclear transport organisation has officially launched today in the UK. Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS), part of the
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), operates Direct Rail Services (DRS) and Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL), which offer
rail and shipping services, respectively. The NDA is also in the process of integrating its radioactive waste management businesses.
In February 2020, the NDA announced its decision to create a single
nuclear transport division, bringing together its transport expertise
and capabilities across the NDA group to support its mission to
clean up the UK's earliest nuclear sites. Nuclear Transport Solutions
started operating as a single organisation on 1 February.
NTS has today officially been fully launched. With a workforce of
over 700, it specialises in the operational, commercial, engineering,
legal, and regulatory expertise that underpin nuclear transport and
logistics operations. It also provides consultancy services offering
bespoke solutions to customers' complex nuclear transport
challenges, and transport services for customers outside of the
nuclear sector. customers overseas, and packaging and licensing support to the
NDA group.
NTS's primary objective will be to support the NDA mission through
a range of activities including transporting used advanced gas- DRS operates a fleet of over 100 locomotives. Since DRS was
cooled reactor fuel from UK power plants to Sellafield, moving established in 1995, it has transported nuclear material over 5
irradiated fuels from Dounreay, returning reprocessing products to million miles by rail in the UK.PNTL operates three specialist nuclear transport ships. So far it has In November 2020, the NDA launched its integrated waste
shipped over 2000 nuclear casks some 5 million miles to countries management programme to act as a focal point for managing the
including: Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, UK's radioactive waste and to deliver its integrated waste
the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA. management strategy. The programme operates across the waste
lifecycle, including the treatment, packaging, storage, transport and
"We have created NTS to become the leading global provider of safe,
disposal of waste.
secure and reliable nuclear transport solutions - building on the
experience and capabilities of DRS, International Nuclear Services The NDA said it intends to create a single waste division to bring
and PNTL to deliver great value for our UK and international together its group-wide waste management expertise enabling it to
customers," said NTS CEO Seth Kybird. grow capability, simplify how it operates and deliver greater value
for the taxpayer. The new waste division will include its waste
"We're proud of how we use our expertise to make the world safer
disposal companies LLW Repository Limited and Radioactive Waste
and more sustainable. Whether that's by supporting the clean-up of
Management.
the UK's nuclear legacy, using our high security shipping capabilities
to support global security goals, or providing low-carbon rail freight Researched and written by World Nuclear News
solutions that takes more lorries off our roads."
Source website links: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/UKs-NDA-launches-new-nuclear-transport-division2 underground nuclear waste structures stabilized at Hanford
20 April, 2021|by Associated Press
HANFORD NUCLEAR RESERVATION, Wash. (AP) — The U.S. Department
of Energy has confirmed that two underground structures at the
decommissioned Hanford nuclear reservation in Washington state have
been stabilized after they were deemed at risk of collapsing and
spreading radioactive contamination into the air. The Tri-City Herald
reported Tuesday that a federal study in 2020 found that three
underground structures where plutonium-contaminated liquids were
stored posed a high risk of collapse and contamination. Central Plateau
Clean up Co. President Scott Sax told employees that the structures
were filled with concrete-like grout to prevent them from collapsing.
The work was done by White Shield Inc. of Pasco under a contract
originally valued at about $4 million.
Source website links: https://komonews.com/news/local/2-underground-nuclear-waste-structures-stabilized-at-hanfordNew Publication Highlights Advances in Use of Nuclear Technique to Fight
Insect Pests
19 April, 2021| by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
travel, including mosquitoes that spread diseases such as dengue
and Zika.In over 1200 pages, the Sterile Insect Technique - Principles
and Practice in Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management updates
information from a first edition in 2005 and covers advances made
since then in the use of the technique. The Sterile Insect Technique,
or SIT, is a type of birth control for insects. Male insects are bred in
large quantities, sterilized using radiation and released to mate with
wild females, resulting in no offspring and a decline in the target
insect population. The SIT has been used for over 60 years to tackle
agricultural pests such as the Mediterranean fruit fly, the
screwworm and tsetse fly and, more recently, to combat
Aedesaegypti and Aedesalbopictus mosquitoes responsible for
epidemics around the world. “This key textbook responds to a
growing interest in the use of the SIT as insects spread to new
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and
territories due to global transport, a warmer climate and increased
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have released
resistance to insecticides,” said Rui Cardoso Pereira, head of the
a book reviewing major progress in the use of a nuclear technique
Insect Pest Control Section at the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear
to suppress agricultural pests and insect outbreaks that have
Techniques in Food and Agriculture. “Countries are seeking
become more frequent due to climate change and global trade and
alternative environment-friendly suppression methods, such as theSIT, and the book includes all aspects for its application – from development of a genetic means to separate male and female
preparatory feasibility studies to the implementation and mosquitoes for release – an important aspect, as female mosquitos
monitoring of an SIT programme and latest research.” The second bite and transmit diseases. “These tools can be used to develop
edition also reviews strategic options for using the method – such insect strains that improve the efficiency of existing pest control
as prevention, pest suppression or eradication – and discusses programmes or to develop new SIT-based control systems,” said
environmental considerations and socio-economic impact. Six new Marc Schetelig from the Department of Insect Biotechnology in Plant
chapters highlight latest developments in the use of the SIT, Protection at the Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany. An
including molecular, microbial and information technology tools updated chapter highlights the use of geographic information
that have made the method more applicable and cost effective. systems (GIS) technology, which has made a crucial step in the
“There has been a significant expansion to target insects that harm application of the SIT – the release of a large number of sterile
animals, plants, and humans, in particular moths, greenhouse pests, insects over one area – more economical. GIS is used to map and
beetles and disease-transmitting mosquitoes,” entomologist and detail insect populations so that releases can be made according to
lead editor Arnold Dyck said. Changes in climate have pushed the the number of insects on the ground. “If you are releasing fruit flies
spread of mosquitoes to new territories, prompting a renewed over a 200 000 hectare citrus growing area, for example, the system
interest since the early 2000s in applying the SIT to suppress the will read the field data and release just enough sterile flies to
vectors of diseases such as dengue and malaria. The Zika virus compete with and suppress the wild fruit fly population,” Cardoso
outbreaks in 2015–2016 increased the urgency to advance such Pereira said.
alternative methods, and the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre and its partners
The book also covers the use of the SIT to tackle new invasive pests,
stepped up work to develop the mosquito SIT package. This is now
like the spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), a small fly
under trial in pilot projects in Brazil, China, Cuba, Germany, Greece,
that destroys soft fruits such as berries and cherries. Originally
Italy, Mauritius, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, Thailand and the United
from Southeast Asia, the fly has become a growing problem in recent
States, with encouraging results.The book reviews promising
years in open field and greenhouses across Europe and the
approaches to refine the mosquito SIT even further, including the
Americas. The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre has developed an SIT packageagainst the spotted wing drosophila, now under trial in Argentina developed for new species. “The trend is to use the SIT for routine
and Chile. pest suppression, particularly to protect commercially important
commodities,” Cardoso Pereira said. “This attracts the involvement
While advances have contributed to greater use of the method,
of the private sector, which can accelerate technology development
additional refinements in insect mass-rearing, sex-separation
even further.”
procedures and release systems are expected as SIT packages are
Source website links: https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/new-publication-highlights-advances-in-use-of-nuclear-technique-to-
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